Rue's Stand
by PerfectionJune
Summary: Rue won the Hunger Games. Now she has the chance to start a war. How? By giving her thank you speeches for the two tributes who gave their lives for her, her two allies, Katniss and Thresh.


**AN: This is a sequel to a very good story I once read which I can't find anymore. Basically, Thresh admires Katniss for volunteering for her sister, and invited her to sit with Rue and him for lunch during training. The three become allies, and Thresh and Katniss fall in love. The three stay together even after the two people from the same district speech, and when informed it isn't allowed, Katniss and Thresh kill themselves with the berries, and Rue wins. It ends with Rue being crowned, and it talks of how she will be the "little Mockingjay" and help with the rebellion because she is the innocence the Capitol sought to destroy to show their power, and instead will be the innocence that shines true and bright, even when the world tries to break it down. I made her last name Flos because she is never actually given one and flos means "flower" in Latin.**

Rue's Stand

Every year there was at least one speech that the public wanted to hear. And every year, the Districts, while curious, would mostly feel pity for the families who lost their children. However, this year, everyone wanted to hear the Victor Speeches. Everyone wanted to hear Rue Flos had to say about her two allies, and family, from the Hunger Games. The Star-Crossed lovers Thresh and Katniss, her parents, or siblings.

Everyone could remember how Rue had gone to sleep as her two allies told her they were going off to get food, and how she had woken up to the sound of the canons firing and trumpets blaring. The people of the Capitol cared because something in that story struck a chord in their shallow lives. But the people of the Districts…they were angry.

Something had been there from the very beginning. This hard, cold, hatred and dissatisfaction. It was like the coal of Katniss's District, just waiting to be set ablaze. And then there was the Girl on Fire, who could light the flame if she'd follow the script! But she hadn't. She's fallen in love, and died for that love. And what was left? Innocence. Shattered by the capitol. And suddenly, the coals were heating up, the water was simmering. Rue could set it to a boiling point. Rue could cause a fire.

She knew it, the Districts knew it, and anyone with a brain knew it. But most importantly, President Snow knew it. He had threated her family, not knowing she had already had a few people while she was in the Capitol swear to look out for them. Not knowing that they had already told her that they'd rather die for a cause than from starvation or misery. And so the tour would start with Rue is District 11, honoring Thresh.

Rue stepped on to the platform, her heart pounding in her chest. Grief in her eyes. She stood there in an extremely pale pink gown, so pink it was almost white, making her look like and angel of mourning again. She looked at the crowd and saw so many familiar faces, and she looked at where Thresh's family, the two women looking miserable, and she found strength. A strength to say what she had to say. For Katniss, for Thresh, for her family, friends, strangers. For herself.

She opened her mouth.

"Thresh…Thresh was the father I lost when I was seven. Thresh was the older brother I never had, being the oldest of five. Thresh was, is, a part of me, and always will be.

"I see him in the wind when it blows, when it's there to take away the heat from summer. I feel him in the Sun's rays, as constant and steady as he was. I miss him…and before the arena, I never realized how much I needed someone like him.

"My first day off the train, I was ushered into a room, stripped down until I was naked, and then plucked, stared at, and told one day many people would find me desirable. I was terrified. Thresh help scare them off, and made me feel secure. He made me feel safe. He did everything he could to make it so the Capitol wasn't as terrifying as it could have been.

"I can't talk about Thresh without talking a little bit about Katniss here as well. The two of them fit together in a way that made no sense on paper, and perfect sense in real life. They bonded over mutual admiration of each other's strength and courage, and found love by accident. They were my older siblings…they were my parents…they were my home away from home."

Rue could feel the tears running down her cheeks, but didn't care. She knew that so many were crying with her.

"But of course, I suppose I must thank the Capitol for taking them, and miss my two best friends so much. But we must remember, even when we lose everyone we care about, we must remember them. Thank you Thresh, I miss you."

Miles away, there is a group of people conversing, watching Rue's speech on a tiny stand. Waiting for Katniss's speech.

In District 12, everyone stood waiting. None of the previous speeches were as important as this one. Katniss's speech. This speech could be the cause of a rebellion. Or it could sooth the flames. Everyone in all of Panem held their breath as Rue walked on stage.

"Primrose Everdeen."

Rue stood there as Katniss's sister looked at her with sorrow, hatred, grief, confusion, and acceptance.

"Those two simple words are what? They are a name. The name. The name that came from the reaping in District 12. The name that changed her sister and mother's life. The name her sister took and replaced with her own, Katniss Everdeen. The name that changed Primrose's life, the name that changed Peeta Mellark's life, that changed this Districts life, that changed the capitol's life, that changed Panem…that changed Thresh's life…that changed mine."

People were staring at her. This wasn't a regular speech. And that's when they knew. Rue was about to set them on flame.

"Peeta Mellark was a passing name to me, but he was also the person I feared I'd lose Katniss to. And though I am grateful I didn't, I am upset that he never had the chance with Katniss. And so, I apologize to the Mellarks. It is in part, my fault he is dead. I am sorry.

"Katniss was my older sister, my mother, and part of my family away from home. I owe her my life, my survival. I love her as much as I'm sure Prim does.

"The day I meet Katniss, she was having her flames doused from her costume. And I? I was running away from my stylists. Thresh introduced us, and in that moment…I think she saw her sister in me. Her nickname for me, little Jay, is a variation of her nickname for her sister, Little Duck.

"The day we became allies with Katniss, Thresh invited her to eat with us. She promptly sat down and suggested we be allies. Of course accepted.

"Katniss was wild, very much like the fire that she was nicknamed after. Katniss was the Girl on Fire, meant to start a blaze, but she was never given the chance.

"But even as I miss her, and mourn her, and rage at her for being so incredibly selfless,"

Rue was crying, tears streaming down her face like a river.

"We must remember, Panem Today, Panem Tomorrow,"

Rue held three fingers to her lips and held them up, and each person in 12 followed.

"Panem Always."

And all hell broke loose.

Hours later, when all of District 12 and Rue were sequestered away, Haymitch walked in, patted her on the back, and said "That's how you start a rebellion"


End file.
